At St Leonard’s Lower School, we are growing and learning together with God’s Love and our Christian values are embedded in all that we do.

We recognise that every child is a unique individual within God’s creation and it is our aim is to provide learning opportunities that enable our children to develop deep roots to enable them to flourish and succeed. 

Our PE curriculum is ambitious and inclusive for all, enabling each child to learn and develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.

We aim to develop stamina within their general physical fitness with PE lessons and clubs encouraging development of the key physical skills such as balance, coordination, strength, stamina and flexibility, which are all key skills in physical development.

Our Key aim is to inspire EVERY child to be passionate about Physical Education and Sport. We believe that PE is an essential part of the curriculum through which pupils develop within a safe environment. Children of all abilities should have quality learning opportunities to strive and achieve their full potential.

Our whole school focus on growth mindset is embedded within our PE teaching.

Intent

Beyond merely a subject, we believe that participating in physical activity and sporting activity is a key element of developing a school in which pupils are proud of the community in which they belong. Therefore, great emphasis is placed upon additional sporting opportunities beyond the lesson within after-school clubs, inter-house and inter-school competition and festivals as well as directly trying to support the local clubs within the school’s geographical area.

Our children receive an inclusive, broad and balanced programme of PE which:

• delivers lessons to take each pupil on a progressive and exciting learning journey from the Foundation Stage to KS1 through to KS2,
• provides inclusive lessons through planning and specialist teaching and equipment,
• promotes Physical Development and a healthy and active lifestyle,
• encourages physical activity for sustained periods of time,
• enhances self-esteem through development of physical confidence,
• requires children to work together in team situations, planning strategies and following rules of play,
• helps children achieve their highest possible standards,
• develops leadership, social skills and confidence,
• develops life skills such as communication, collaboration, co-operation, commitment, competition, leadership and teamwork,
• actively promotes key values through our ‘School Games’ values of: Determination, Honesty, Passion, Respect, Self - Belief and Teamwork
• creates school club links through the wider community for our children.

It is our intent to fully deliver and build upon the aims of the national curriculum for physical education to meet the needs of our pupils. The aims of national curriculum PE 2014 are:

• develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
• are physically active for sustained periods of time
• engage in competitive sports and activities
• lead healthy, active lives.

We are committed to using the sports premium funding to promote high quality PE for all children in the school and to enhance their opportunities to take part in competitive and non-competitive sport; to promote positive values for life and to ensure the pupils understand the benefits of sport for better health and fun leisure time activities.

Implementation

We purchased PE planning, assessment and CPD materials from https://primarypeplanning.com/  to support us to build a progressive whole school curriculum. All our children receive a safe, broad and balanced programme of PE.

Each class in years 1 – 4 has two lessons of PE a week.  PE provision is taught by class teachers. Sports clubs are also available to enrich and enhance children’s experiences and learning.  These can take place at lunchtime provided by Future Games and LLSSP and afterschool. Sports days are organised in the summer term as a celebration event. Through the School Sports Partnership there is regular liaison with other schools in the local learning community, with a shared aim to improve teaching quality, promote physical activity and provide inter-school competitions.  We also have links with outside agencies who often work with our children and staff, providing CPD for staff, bike ability level 1 and young leader training for our Year 4 pupils.

Leighton-Linslade School Sports Partnership

We encourage competition at all levels. This is evident within the curriculum, through level 1 (self), 2 (Intra) and 3 (Inter) competitions and during sports days held at the school. We feel that competition can challenge children both individually and as a team. Children can compare their performances with previous ones and aspire to reach, surpass and strive for personal excellence.

Key Stage 1

In line with the PE National Curriculum, children are taught to master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing, catching, as well as developing Balance, Agility and Co-ordination. They are taught how to apply these in a range of activities. Children have the opportunity to participate in team games developing simple tactics for attacking and defending and in dance taught how to perform simple movement patterns. We encourage children to engage in competitions (against self and others) and within co-operative physical activities in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

Children will sample a wide variety of sports throughout the year including; Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Invasion Games, Multi-skills, Net/Wall Games and Striking and Fielding Activities.

Key Stage 2

At Key Stage 2, our focus is to develop children’s skills through a wide variety of sports and activities. Again, in line with the National Curriculum the children are taught to;

• use running, jumping and catching skills in isolation and in combination,
• play competitive games, (modified where appropriate) such as cricket, football, hockey, netball, tag rugby, rounders and tennis, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending.
• develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance, through athletics, dance, gymnastics, and multi-skills
• perform dances using a range of movement patterns,
• take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team (also included in our Year 4 residential trip).
• compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.

Swimming and water safety

Year 4 and Year 3 children are given the opportunity to attend Swimming instruction at our local leisure centre - Tiddenfoot.

Pupils are taught to:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• Use a range of strokes effectively such as front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke
• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

High-quality physical education will motivate children to enjoy and participate in sport and other physically-demanding activities. We provide opportunities for children to become physically confident in order to support their health, fitness and well-being. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities help to embed values such as fairness and respect whilst recognising strengths and weaknesses of themselves and others.

Impact

At St Leonard’s School, we ensure that our PE curriculum is progressive and allows children to develop fundamental skills and apply them to a variety of sports and activities.

The aim is that our planned PE curriculum will impact greatly on all our children’s ability to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make appropriate choices about their physical and mental health. Wherever possible we align our extended curriculum with the core PE curricular offer to enhance learning and extend opportunities for greater depth. The curriculum will develop positive self-awareness in children as they become physically competent. They will also demonstrate a healthy attitude to all forms of physical activity, to competition, showing respect for individuals, teams, officials and coaches.

Our expected impact is that our children will:

Promote their Physical Development and a healthy lifestyle

Develop the fundamental skills of balance, agility and co-ordination

Develop artistic and aesthetic understanding and appreciation

Enhance self-esteem through the development of physical confidence

Work together in team situations, planning strategies and following rules of play

Cope with experiences in competitive and co-operative physical activities

Achieve the highest possible standards

Be able to access the National Curriculum programme

Develop leadership skills and confidence

Understand how to lead a healthy lifestyle and understand the importance of exercise

Be physically active and this having positive implications on their learning in the classroom.

All children will be assessed using our PE Assessment package which will also allow the subject leader to monitor progress whole school (including specific target groups). Teachers and coaches will be expected to complete all the unit assessments through a combination of formative and summative assessment.

The school has achieved the Platinum School Games Mark for the commitment and development of competition across school and into the community.